1. Field of the Invention
This invention patent relates to a support for a shower pan or tub. More particularly, this invention relates to a multi-layer, multi material support for a replacement shower pan or tub.
2. Background
Shower enclosures may be custom made to a specific location or prefabricated at a factory. Prefabricated shower enclosures typically include a door and shower walls that fit within a shower pan. The shower pan serves as the floor of the shower on which the user stands. The shower pan includes a drain opening and may be installed over an existing shower floor. During installation of a prefabricated shower enclosure, a support may be installed between the shower pan and the floor to support the shower pan.
Some supports are sold along with the replacement shower enclosure and others are sold separately. Different types of supports are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,132 discloses a shower pan supported by graduated shims and perimeter strips which are in turn mounted on a planar foundation. U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,169 discloses a shower pan supported by an expanded polystyrene foam (EPF) layer located between the shower pan and a wood base. U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,169 also discloses a shower pan supported by a system of stringers. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0276364 discloses a shower pan supported by a honeycomb lattice structure.
Replacement shower manufacturers sometimes provide a molded foam support made of expanded polystyrene to support the shower pan. The foam support may be placed under the shower pan on top of the floor during installation. Sometimes the foam support will be pre-glued to the underside of the shower pan at the factory. Either way, installed on site or pre-glued at the factory, shower pan failures can be caused by poor installation of the support or poor support design. For example, if the support has been installed crooked and/or not flush to the floor and/or not placed on a flat surface, the shower or tub pans can crack under pressure from the user's weight. Cracked shower pans can lead to water leaks that can cause significant water damage.
In some cases the foam support that is packaged with the prefabricated shower stalls has been discarded because the installers thought the support was part of the packaging material. In other cases, the foam support is installed correctly, but over time the shower or tub pan still cracks or otherwise fails before the expected lifetime of the shower or tub.
Also, many current supports are poorly designed with little thought given to aesthetics, and thus are eyesores. Despite the fact that the support typically is not visible after installation, the unaesthetic appearance of some current supports often leads customers to perceive the support as cheap and having subpar performance. Regardless of whether this perception is accurate, an unattractive support can lead to poor customer product reviews and lower sales.
The present invention is intended to address these problems.